Charlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisoryDowntown Fort Myers holds Freedom Fest for 4th of July
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisory The heat advisory in Charlotte County is not stopping folks from celebrating the Fourth of July, but they are making sure to hear light colors like red, white and blue and, most importantly, carrying water.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers holds Freedom Fest for 4th of July Free live music, food vendors and more activities will be found throughout the downtown Fort Myers River District on the evening of July 4.
FORT MYERS BEACH Independence Day on Fort Myers Beach Despite the damage caused by Ian, many people chose to celebrate their Fourth of July on Fort Myers Beach.
WINK NEWS Excessive salt intake linked to serious health issues There is a link between high sodium intake and serious health issues, as 90% of Americans consume too much salt.
NAPLES 4th of July festivities in downtown Naples There’s a fireworks show being launched from a barge just north of the Naples Pier, but the celebration started with a parade through downtown Naples this morning.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers police warn against celebratory gunfire during 4th of July The Fort Myers Police Department is reminding the public to enjoy this Fourth of July without firing off guns in celebration of the holiday.
FORT MYERS Hot Dogs for Heroes benefits vets through odd American tradition Some things just go hand in hand, like a hot dog and the Fourth of July — so much so that hot dog-eating contests have become the norm on this American holiday.
SANIBEL Sanibel Police Chief: crews now in recovery mode for missing teen swimmer The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel has resumed on Thursday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Heat exhaustion versus heat stroke; spotting the difference People aren’t the only ones who have problems dealing with excessive heat. The Weather Authority has advice for protecting your pets too.
WINK NEWS Fourth of July events across Southwest Florida The Fourth of July is celebrated Across Southwest Florida and nationwide with fireworks, barbecues, patriotic events and more.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral runners compete in Freedom 5K Race A 4th of July tradition continues in Southwest Florida as residents of Cape Coral competed during the annual Freedom 5K Race.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Hurricane Beryl downgraded to Cat 2 storm; impacts Cayman Islands as Cat 3 The Weather Authority is continuing to cover Hurricane Beryl as it moves in the direction of the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Heat advisory in effect for your 4th of July plans The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Thursday afternoon as Southwest Florida will be under a heat advisory for the 4th of July.
SANIBEL Sanibel kicks off July 4th celebration with annual parade July 4th festivities are set to begin as the City of Sanibel prepares for its 31st annual Independence Day parade.
Florida battles rising dengue fever infections Dengue fever is frequently passed by mosquitos, the kind that are found near homes.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisory The heat advisory in Charlotte County is not stopping folks from celebrating the Fourth of July, but they are making sure to hear light colors like red, white and blue and, most importantly, carrying water.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers holds Freedom Fest for 4th of July Free live music, food vendors and more activities will be found throughout the downtown Fort Myers River District on the evening of July 4.
FORT MYERS BEACH Independence Day on Fort Myers Beach Despite the damage caused by Ian, many people chose to celebrate their Fourth of July on Fort Myers Beach.
WINK NEWS Excessive salt intake linked to serious health issues There is a link between high sodium intake and serious health issues, as 90% of Americans consume too much salt.
NAPLES 4th of July festivities in downtown Naples There’s a fireworks show being launched from a barge just north of the Naples Pier, but the celebration started with a parade through downtown Naples this morning.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers police warn against celebratory gunfire during 4th of July The Fort Myers Police Department is reminding the public to enjoy this Fourth of July without firing off guns in celebration of the holiday.
FORT MYERS Hot Dogs for Heroes benefits vets through odd American tradition Some things just go hand in hand, like a hot dog and the Fourth of July — so much so that hot dog-eating contests have become the norm on this American holiday.
SANIBEL Sanibel Police Chief: crews now in recovery mode for missing teen swimmer The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel has resumed on Thursday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Heat exhaustion versus heat stroke; spotting the difference People aren’t the only ones who have problems dealing with excessive heat. The Weather Authority has advice for protecting your pets too.
WINK NEWS Fourth of July events across Southwest Florida The Fourth of July is celebrated Across Southwest Florida and nationwide with fireworks, barbecues, patriotic events and more.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral runners compete in Freedom 5K Race A 4th of July tradition continues in Southwest Florida as residents of Cape Coral competed during the annual Freedom 5K Race.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Hurricane Beryl downgraded to Cat 2 storm; impacts Cayman Islands as Cat 3 The Weather Authority is continuing to cover Hurricane Beryl as it moves in the direction of the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Heat advisory in effect for your 4th of July plans The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Thursday afternoon as Southwest Florida will be under a heat advisory for the 4th of July.
SANIBEL Sanibel kicks off July 4th celebration with annual parade July 4th festivities are set to begin as the City of Sanibel prepares for its 31st annual Independence Day parade.
Florida battles rising dengue fever infections Dengue fever is frequently passed by mosquitos, the kind that are found near homes.
A woman is accusing a former Major League Baseball player from Charlotte County of sexually abusing her for years. While playing for the minor league team, the Charlotte Rangers, Craig Monroe allegedly started abusing the victim when she was just 12 years old. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is now actively investigating these allegations. The accuser said the crimes started over two decades ago, but because of the nature of the offenses, there is no statute of limitations, and Monroe can face charges. Before it belonged to the Tampa Bay Rays, Charlotte Sports Park was the home of the minor league team Charlotte Rangers. The team no longer exists, but from the late ’90s to the early 2000s, Monroe was their outfielder. The daughter of his host family said it was during that time, and in Charlotte County, he started sexually abusing her. The accuser is 35 now but said the abuse started when she was 12, and Monroe was in his 20s. She said it went on for years and escalated to him prostituting her out to his friends. After the Rangers, Monroe played for the Detroit Tigers and, until recently, was the team’s television analyst. Monroe is represented by the Manley & Manley Law Firm out of Flint, Michigan. The Firm issued a statement that read, “Craig Monroe did not dignify these horrifying and false allegations when they appeared on various social media sites. Now that mainstream media has chosen to report this inaccurate information, Craig has no choice but to vehemently deny these claims. We will cooperate with law enforcement and are confident that once this case is fully investigated, Craig will be cleared of any wrongdoing.” “Craig Monroe takes allegations of this nature very seriously and would never commit or condone such despicable conduct. He and his family are shocked by these allegations and offer his accuser forgiveness and grace. We trust that law enforcement will uncover the truth regarding her background and motivations,” wrote Attorney Michael Manley The team and Bally Sports Detroit sent us a statement saying they are aware of the allegations and take them seriously: “As previously stated, Mr. Monroe has not been on the broadcast schedule, and that will continue on an indefinite basis.” CCSO sent us a statement saying, “This is an active investigation, and anyone with information is asked to come forward.” “I think what the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is looking for right now is to test the veracity of the allegations against Mr. Monroe and whether or not they would recommend to the state attorney’s office certain charges,” said Connor Martin, Attorney at Suarez, Rios & Weinberg. Martin told us that despite the crimes starting over two decades ago, because of the nature of the offenses, Monroe could still be charged. “When a victim is 16 years of age or younger at the time of the alleged offense, there is no applicable statute of limitations, so prosecution can commence at any time,” Martin said. We did reach out to the Charlotte Rangers GM at the time of the alleged crimes and didn’t hear back. On social media, the accuser said she waited to speak out due to concerns for her and her family’s safety, knowing this would draw attention.